Identifying Ergonomics Hazards

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Identifying Ergonomics Hazards Controls
Dr. Karen Jacobs, Ed.D., OTR/L, CPE,
FAOTA Clinical Professor kjacobs_at_bu.edu http//peo
ple.bu.edu/kjacobs/
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Ergonomics GestaltSource Dr. Gordon A. Vos
Assistant Professor Department of Environmental
and Occupational Health TAMUS-HSC-SRPH
Reduced Injuries and Illness
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Approaches

• Reactive
• Proactive

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The Reactive Approach

• Incidence Rate (IR) is the number of cases per
  100 workers years
• IR of new cases during a period of time x
  200,000 hours
• Total hours worked by all employees for
  that time period

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The Reactive Approach

• Prevalence Rate (PR) is the number of existing
  cases per 100 workers years
• PR of all cases during a period of time x
  200,000 hours
• Total hours worked by all employees for
  that time period

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Proactive Approach
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Hazards

• Working the body beyond its capabilities
• Environmental Conditions
• Work Organization or Psychosocial Work Factors

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Hazards

• Working the body beyond its capabilities
• Force
• Repetition
• Awkward postures
• Static postures
• Vibration
• Contact stress
• Lack of rest and recovery time

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Repetition
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Hazards

• Working the body beyond its capabilities
• Force
• Repetition
• Awkward postures
• Static postures
• Vibration
• Contact stress
• Lack of rest and recovery time

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Hazards

• Physical Work Activities Conditions
• Exerting considerable physical effort to complete
  a motion

• Ergonomic Risk Factor that May Be Present
• Force
• Awkward postures
• Contact stress

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Hazards

• Physical Work Activities Conditions
• Gloves are bulky, too large or too small

• Ergonomic Risk Factor that May Be Present
• Force
• Contact stress

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HazardsManual Handling(lifting/lowering,
pushing/pulling, carrying)

• Ergonomic Risk Factor that May Be Present
• Force
• Repetition
• Awkward postures
• Static postures
• Contact stress

• Physical Work Activities Conditions
• Objects or people moved are heavy

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Hazards

• Environmental Conditions
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Air Quality
• Vibration
• Lighting
• Noise

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Noise

• Any disturbing sound

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Workplace Noise

• NIOSH standard
• extended exposure (8 hours)
• to noise levels above 85 dB may cause hearing loss

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Intensity of Familiar Noise

• Whisper 15 dB
• Average office 50 dB
• Normal conversation at 3 feet 60 dB
• Busy street 70 dB
• Heavy traffic 80 dB
• Punch press 90 dB

• Subway 100 dB
• Rock music 120 dB
• Pneumatic riveter at 3 feet 130 dB
• Shot gun blast to shooter 140 dB

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Hazards

• Work Organization or Psychosocial Work Factors
• Fatigue
• Feelings of isolation
• Anxiety and inability to cope
• Muscle tension and poor posture
• Easily distracted by low level noise
• Difficulty concentrating

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Hazards

• Work Organization or Psychosocial Work Factors
• Job control
• Social support
• Job distress
• Task performance demands
• Job security
• Responsibility
• Complexity

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Controls

• Engineering
• Administrative
• Work Practice

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Engineering Control

• Workstation reconfiguration or redesign
• work height adjustments
• reach adjustments
• location of supplies and equipment

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Engineering Control

• Tool handle design or redesign
• Environmental design
• Lighting
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Noise
• Vibration

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Administrative Controls

• Decisions made by management intended to reduce
  the duration, frequency, and severity of exposure
  to existing hazards. It leaves the hazards at the
  workplace, but attempts to diminish the effects
  on the worker.

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Administrative Controls

• Job Rotation
• The job remains the same, but the worker moves
  from one job to another.
• Job Enlargement
• Horizontal or Job Extension
• Job content is increased by giving the worker a
  greater number of tasks to perform all within the
  same level of responsibility

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Administrative Controls

• Job Enlargement
• Vertical or Job Enrichment
• Job content includes taking over some
  responsibilities which were previously assigned
  to a supervisor.
• Work Scheduling
• Breaks
• Flexible hours
• Job sharing

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Administrative Controls

• Work Method
• Reduce external pacing
• Protective Equipment
• Gloves
• Eye Wear
• Vibration Protection
• Ear Protection
• Automation

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Work Practice Controls

• Safe Proper Work Techniques
• Fitness Flexibility

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Bending or Twisting During Manual Handling

• What controls do you recommend?
• Engineering
• Administrative
• Work Practice

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Resolving Ergonomic Problems

• Self-help
• Skilled help
• Expert help

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Self-help

• 40 - 70 of the problems
• Simple or quick fix
• Lowest cost method
• generated by the worker
• 2 - 4 hours of awareness training

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Skilled help

• 20 - 40 of the problems
• More complex multiple changes
• Low cost method
• Problem-solving team
• 2 - 3 days of training

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Expert Help

• 5 - 25 of the problems
• Usually complex
• Most expensive method
• professional ergonomist

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Ideal Computer Workstation
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Neutral Keyboarding PostureSource
http//ergo.human.cornell.edu

• Upper lower back well supported
• Chair seat does not compress back of the knees
• Feet on a surface for support
• Head balanced on neck
• Upper arms close to body relaxed

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Neutral Keyboarding PostureSource
http//ergo.human.cornell.edu

• Sitting so that the
• Angle formed by the shoulders, hips, knees is
  gt90
• Angle formed by the shoulders, elbows, wrist is
  gt90
• Angle formed by the hips, knees, feet is gt90

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Neutral Keyboarding PostureSource
http//ergo.human.cornell.edu

• Sitting so that the
• Wrists at a neutral position, level with forearm
  (lt15 deviation)
• Chair armrests not directly compressing any part
  of the forearms or elbows
• Move a mouse with your forearm not just wrist

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Furniture EquipmentSource http//ergo.human.co
rnell.edu

• Stable work surface
• Ergonomic chair (adjustable)
• Negative tilt keyboard tray
• Adjustable position mouse

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Normal Work AreaSource http//ergo.human.cornell
.edu

• Proper positioning of frequently used items
• Easy access to the three dimensional zone of the
  body

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Computer Monitor PositionSource
http//ergo.human.cornell.edu

• Monitor should be height angle adjustable
• Place in line with the user at an arms length
  away
• Glare free

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So You Dont Have an Ideal Workstation?
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Taking Breaks Are Important

• Eye Breaks
• Micro-breaks
• Rest breaks
• Ergonomic software
• Exercise breaks

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Stretch Break for Kids Software
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Workstation Exercises

• Deep breathing
• Head neck
• Back
• Shoulders
• Wrists
• Fingers hands
• Tendon gliding exercises

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Laptops are Un-ergonomics
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Good ergonomic design is the solution to prevent
musculoskeletal injuries.

• Educate and involve employees
• Take a look at all of the available data to find
  problems
• Encourage early reporting of problems
• Find quick fixes to get momentum going
• Some problems are more complex than others
• Focus on eliminating the risk factors if possible
  
• Don't just throw money and equipment at the
  problem
• Make ergonomics part of purchasing and planning
• Expect results, but be patient
• Ask for help

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Thank you! Dr. Karen Jacobs, Ed.D., OTR/L,
CPE, FAOTA Clinical Professor kjacobs_at_bu.edu http
//people.bu.edu/kjacobs